Hodgson and the Skopje press conference.

[Duncan Clench]

I've got a mate who's with the squad and was at the press conference last night. Here's what he had to say.

 

Hi Mate.

I went to the Pre-Match Conference tonight...it was rather interesting to say the least!

 

This was the first time I've listened to a Roy Hodgson interview...boy, this guy gets rattled! I thought Benitez was bad, but Roy can get really narked about subjects his does not wish to talk about!

He put down one Guardian Journalist down for asking what type of formation he'll be playing tomorrow, Roy response was very cutting and abject. Then a Liverpool Echo journalist got short shrift for asking about Luke Young.

I was speaking to the Telegraph journalist (Rory Smith) after the conference and he was pretty pissed off the way he had been spoken to! I suspect his article in The Guardian will be very negative towards Hodgson tomorrow....I can't blame him really. A lot of the journalists seem to think Hodgson is out of his depth already - which I hope not. Hodgson has managed to annoy the Press within three weeks...Benitez took a lot longer than that!

Thought you might appreciate some inside information...!

 

Here's the Telegraph article :

 

Football News - Latest football news, transfer news, fixtures, results, live scores, Premier League and Champions League team updates - Telegraph

 

Despite a period of positivity at Anfield – securing the arrival of Joe Cole, the faith of Steven Gerrard and, apparently, Fernando Torres – the storm clouds returned on Wednesday.

 

When he should have been eagerly anticipating his first competitive game in the biggest job of his career, he had the air of a man on his way to the gallows.

 

When he might have chosen to bask in the afterglow of those victories in the early skirmishes of his Anfield tenure, he seemed irascible. When he had previously been open and honest, he was cagey, even confrontational.

 

Perhaps it was naive to believe that Hodgson’s arrival would do any more than provide temporary relief from the troubles that have ailed Liverpool for so long.

 

Certainly, the complaints which seemed to weigh so heavily on the 62 year-old’s shoulders will be eerily familiar to any observer of the antics at Anfield over the past few seasons.

 

It is, in Hodgson’s defence, not hard to understand his anxiety. Liverpool will start their season under-resourced and underprepared, the manager believes. Many of their senior players are absent.

 

Their ability to ready themselves for Thursday night's Europa League third qualifying round tie against FK Rabotnicki in Macedonia has been undermined by the lack of time between the draw, made last week, and the match itself.

 

Surprising as it is to hear a Liverpool manager play down his side’s chances against a team of such limited reputation, Hodgson admits he is “far from certain” his ersatz team can emerge unscathed from what should, on paper, be a mismatch.

 

That he is unimpressed at the prospect of facing unknown opponents in an unfinished stadium with an unfinished team is evident.

 

“I could not have envisaged at the start of my time at Liverpool a more difficult situation than the one I find myself in,” he said. “It would have been nice if the game was played later and we could field what we think is our strongest team, but we cannot. It would have been complete folly to try to play 90 minutes of football in an important competition in difficult conditions with players who have been training for just four days.

 

“In World Cup years it is a tremendous burden on the senior teams from countries like England, Spain, Italy and Germany to have to play the third qualifying round matches on July 29. Everybody, most of all Uefa, knows you cannot bring people off the beach, give them three days training and throw them into a first-class game. We have had no choice but to do that.

 

“We know the value of this competition and with 13 players returning from the World Cup and most not here, this is not the Liverpool team you will see most of the season. We have learned as much about Rabotnicki as we have been able to learn in a week, and we will be trying to win, but I am far from confident that will be the case.”

 

Such concerns, though, do not quite explain the sea-change in Hodgson’s mood. Questions over his preferred formation and how heavily the need to infuse Liverpool’s squad with English players to meet new Premier League regulations were affecting his thinking were given short shrift.

 

He refused to discuss the £2.5 million bid Liverpool have had accepted by Aston Villa for full-back Luke Young or the future of Maxi Rodriguez, the Argentina international who impressed in his first six months at Anfield but has, reportedly, been informed he would be allowed to leave should a suitable offer be received.

 

Perhaps a clue as to the root cause of his mounting frustration lay in his offhand reaction to an inquiry about what, if any, discussions had been held with Liverpool’s hierarchy over the place the Europa League held in the club’s list of priorities. “All we ever seem to do at Liverpool is have discussions,” he said. “So I am pretty sure those discussions have taken place.”

 

So much for the brave new world supposedly heralded by Hodgson’s arrival. Those words could have been taken from Rafael Benítez’s book of cryptic comments made during his six years at the club.

 

All talk, no action. Maybe Hodgson has simply needed a few weeks to realise that, at Anfield, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

Just thought some of you might be interested. I don't anticipate this being a 30-pager!

[jackofdk]

I really hope it is a bad day rather than an indication of things to come. We really could do without the added pressure of another manager alienating the press.

[sh#t waffle]

I really hope it is a bad day rather than an indication of things to come. We really could do without the added pressure of another manager alienating the press.

 

I don't think that at this stage it would be fair to look at it as anything other than a bad day. I can't pretend that I'm not a mite concerned at him already coming out with lines like "all we ever do is have discussions" though.

[Duncan Clench]

I would imagine that he's just really pissed off to even be playing a competitive game this early. It is completely daft.

[Rex Banner]

Who cares most of those journalists are scum bags and bald faced liars anyway, he doesn't need to pander to people like that.

 

What did he actually say anyway all your mate said was his response was very cutting and abject that could mean anything.

[Guest The Chimp]

“All we ever seem to do at Liverpool is have discussions,” he said. “So I am pretty sure those discussions have taken place.”

 

This stuck out for me when I read the article.

 

I didn't want Hodgson but now he's here I wish him every success. He seems like a good bloke as well. Probably easier said than done I hope the cunts don't grind him down. Let's hope they keep any promises they've made to him.

 

Edit: Just seen your post sh#t waffle - couldn't agree more.

[Whelan]

Who cares most of those journalists are scum bags and bald faced liars anyway, he doesn't need to pander to people like that.

 

What did he actually say anyway all your mate said was his response was very cutting and abject that could mean anything.

 

Unlike Rafa, he probably knows the prick personally (I am assuming he is a prick), which we will never get to know of course.

 

Put yourself in Roy position, you have your first competitive match, without your senior players, and you hear the words 'Hi Roy, Chris Bascombe, News of the World' !

[jackofdk]

I don't think that at this stage it would be fair to look at it as anything other than a bad day. I can't pretend that I'm not a mite concerned at him already coming out with lines like "all we ever do is have discussions" though.

 

I agree with all of this.

[piscinin]

I have to admit for someone who is supposed to be media savvy, he's not coming across real well. By all means play to the gallery, play the "the press are always against liverpool" card but pick your moments. Nothing has happened to justify getting the hump and sulking. He's in his honeymoon period!

 

Maybe this is his idea of creating a "siege mentality", if so he needs to get back to the drawing board because he's just coming across as flustered and he's making it too easy for the press to write stories like that Telegraph one that ask the questions we all have in the back of our minds but can usually ignore during the honeymoon period when reality hasn't had a chance to erode hope yet.

 

Still he's been doing this stuff longer than us so maybe there is a really subtle, really clever plan going on here!

Edited July 29, 2010 by piscinin

[TopMod]

“All we ever seem to do at Liverpool is have discussions,” he said. “So I am pretty sure those discussions have taken place.”

 

This bit worries me.

[Code]

Cant see anything wrong with what he said myself to be honest.

 

Why all the crying?

 

Why should Hodgson tell them anything about his preferred formation or how much priority we will give the Europa League?

 

Bunch of girls.

[TheResonator]

It does sound like he's had some bad news, doesn't it?

 

Not that I care if he alienates the press, most football journos are complete cunts anyway, I actually liked Rafa's hostility towards them.

 

I generally agree with the sentiments of others and hope it's a bad day, but it doesn't speak particularly well for his ability to cope under pressure. Yes, it's a makeshift team and a win would almost be surprising, but any fan with an iota of sense knows this and - I would hope - won't be too harsh on the manager.

 

Anyway. All will unfold in time I'm sure.

[Code]

“All we ever seem to do at Liverpool is have discussions,” he said. “So I am pretty sure those discussions have taken place.”

 

This bit worries me.

 

Why?

 

"You in the press writes about all the discussions we seemingly have at the club, so do you think we have discussed it?

 

If we have or have not, why would I tell anyone how much priority we will give it before the season actually have started?

 

Does it really matter?"

[bossy]

I agree with all of this.

 

Me too. I don't know why but I'm slowly becoming concerned at some things Roy's been saying. I don't know if it's him winding me up or the situation he's in. Time will tell.

[TheHitman]

I'm echoing what a few people are saying I hope the shit going on behind the scenes does not wear a good man down. Anyone who was taking the Liverpool job was on a hiding too nothing, nothing I have seen over the past month has altered my viewpoint in fact it has reiterated the mess we are in even further.

 

How long will it take the media too portray woy from a lovable chappy to prehistoric man who failed at Blackburn whose methods are symptomatic of the failings in English football.

[Anny Road]

Sounds to me like he is feeling a little bit of pressure.

Signings may be not going great and we have a European match tonight with half a squad.

It is understandable. However if this is tough imagine the pressure off the back of a poor start in the league. Two games in and the press could potentially be writing off our season.

Alternatively we could get off to a flyer so we just have to wait and see but some of those comments particularly about facing the gallows and being out of his depth are worrying considering we have not had a competitive match under Hodgson yet

[ScoureRich86]

Asking about the formation is just under Roys hat obviously its a big game for the jowly fella he just didnt wanna give his tactics away so thats common sense to not tell the papers.

 

as for the Luke Young spec this isnt any different to every other one of our transfers, managers dont want to say anything about putting interest into the hat for a player as other clubs might want to somehow undercut us so keeping the transfer quiet is the perfect scenario an keeps it off the radar from prying clubs.

 

not at all worried about Roys future, he did a good job at fulham an obviously knows how to handle himself, at the start I didnt trust him an was prepared to sit on the fence but itd be interestin to see if his 'no BS' policy stands after the speculation with the talks about the club sale and talks with the owners.

 

YNWA XXXXX

[John101]

Not too worried about his response to the questions. He could tell them all they're cunts for all i care.

 

More worried about the defeatest attitude he seems to be conveying. If he thinks this is bad, and 'could not have envisaged at the start of my time at Liverpool a more difficult situation than the one I find myself in'...then i think he is in for a rude awakening.

[TopMod]

Why?

 

"You in the press writes about all the discussions we seemingly have at the club, so do you think we have discussed it?

 

If we have or have not, why would I tell anyone how much priority we will give it before the season actually have started?

 

Does it really matter?"

 

Hopefully not, but it does seem like maybe things aren't moving fast enough for him. Maybe, it's just dawning on him what a complete fuck up our club has become.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Could you imagine if Rafa had said that? The furore that would have cause would have been a sight.

[jackofdk]

More worried about the defeatest attitude he seems to be conveying. If he thinks this is bad, and 'could not have envisaged at the start of my time at Liverpool a more difficult situation than the one I find myself in'...then i think he is in for a rude awakening.

 

It smacks of getting excuses in early. He knew exactly what it would be like when he took the job, so moaning just makes him look a bit silly. But again, it could just be down to a lousy night's sleep or a bad day at bingo.

[TheResonator]

Why?

 

"You in the press writes about all the discussions we seemingly have at the club, so do you think we have discussed it?

 

If we have or have not, why would I tell anyone how much priority we will give it before the season actually have started?

 

Does it really matter?"

 

Did he actually say this at the conference?

 

Because otherwise I'd be tempted to read one of two different things into it.

 

Either 1) Discussions with the board are getting in the way of doing his job; "All we ever seem to do is have discussions"

 

or 2) He's been told he has to make it clear to the press that decisions (i.e transfer targets, team/squad selection) have to be made by the club rather than just the manager, but the discussions pertaining to this aren't happening: "So I'm pretty sure these discussions have taken place". He has to say they have taken place but his syntax belies that they have not, in fact, taken place.

 

There are probably a number of different interpretations along these lines and hopefully it was just a sardonic remark thrown out there by an irate gentleman on a bad day. But if there is any meaning attached to them, I wouldn't personally read it as a simple barb aimed at media coverage of the club.

 

Of course if your 'quotations' are taken verbatim from a part of the press conference which wasn't widely reported just disregard the above.

[piscinin]

Asking about the formation is just under Roys hat obviously its a big game for the jowly fella he just didnt wanna give his tactics away so thats common sense to not tell the papers.

 

He doesn't want to talk about tactics IMO because it would involve the words four four two and that is out of fashion with the english press; they've already practiced their disembowelment of it on capello; and they'll play the whole out-of-date card on him too.

[piscinin]

Who wants to see how "He's gone, get over it" handled the press and very similar questions at his first Inter press conference?

[Xherdan]

Keeping the press onside? The press have not been on our side for three decades, Roy is not going to change that.